Word Association
by tjemd
Summary: When traveling along the Archylte Steppe, Hope suggests playing a word association game to pass the time.


As the sun rose above the horizon on the Archylte Steppe, the L'cie group began their respective tasks for the morning. Hope stoked the flames of the camp fire while Vanille skewered the gorgonopsid flanks left uncooked from yesterday evening's hunt.

Snow grabbed the party's canteens – raided from PSICOM soldiers, except Light's – and went to refill them. Sazh rolled up their Ugallu hide covers, packing them up for today's continued trek.

Fang, having woken the others up after her shift on watch, walked with Snow to stretch her muscles and rinse her face. Light scouted the terrain around the cave in which they'd spent the night for any obvious threats or hapless Cie'th stones. Once she determined the gorgonopsid pack to the east posed no immediate danger, she returned to the group for breakfast.

"So that's how I think we should switch our parties up today," Vanille's voice carried over to her, though the young woman had addressed Hope. "I think it would help us improve our other roles."

The silver-haired boy was furrowing his brow. "But I haven't spent much time with Sazh. I don't know his fighting style all that well."

Lightning interrupted their conversation. "You'll stay with me today, Hope. Vanille, what was your suggestion for the party split?"

"I thought we should have a Ravager, Synergist, and Attacker each. There are much stronger enemies up ahead once we get past the Steppe, and I thought maybe it would make sense to get more experience with supportive roles?" The idea ended as more of a question.

Lightning listened to the younger woman silently, nodding her assent. "I agree. You and Fang are our best saboteurs, and Hope and Sazh are our synergists. Since Hope will be with me today," the boy grinned, relieved, at this statement, "and both of you are our healers, you can go northwest along the mountains' edge with Sazh and Snow, while Fang, Hope, and I follow the open plain and reconnoiter a bit more."

The two teenagers and older man nodded at her. Decision made, they turned to the fire, waiting for their meal to finish.

* * *

Less than an hour later, Lightning regretted it, pinching the bridge of her nose with frustration. When Snow and Fang had returned, canteens in tow, they had been notified of the party change. Snow accepted the assessment easily enough, pounding his fists together and grinning, but Fang was less agreeable, citing her adequate commando skills and sheer strength.

Outnumbered five to one, she grumbled a bit, but eventually decided to keep her peace. Or so Lightning had thought.

"Ya know, Sunshine, this is an exercise in futility," the voice of the woman behind her repeated, obviously bored after the fifth imp mob they had cleared. "Nothing on this side of the Steppe is strong enough to merit the kind of strategy you keep calling out. 'tween you an' me, we can take anything for miles out easy."

"That's the point," she repeated, voice icing over slightly. "We'll have practice with these paradigms when we see stronger enemies."

"Yeah, well, practicin' ain't the same as doin'. Who's to say we'd really react the way we are now if the time came? Why waste the effort and experience when we really don't need 'em and could be working on more useful skills?"

Instead of waiting for the familiar argument to play out again, Hope made a suggestion from behind them. "Why don't we use today as a team-building exercise?"

Both women paused, observing him. Their leader frowned slightly while the Pulsian merely looked doubtful. "You're serious." She raised one eyebrow. "What did ya have in mind?"

He cleared his throat, uncomfortable with the sudden scrutiny. "My mom and I used to play this word association game." Seeing no sign of recognition in either woman's face, he blushed. "OK, so…someone starts out saying a noun, and the next person says the first word that comes to mind. Like…" He looked up, "I say sky, and Light follows with, 'Cloud.' Maybe it would help us understand each other better." Suddenly embarrassed, he turned his eyes down toward his shoes.

Fang quirked an eyebrow again, then smirked and looked at Lightning. "I'm game. How about you, Sunshine?"

"Whatever," was her only response.

"Uptight," she said with a grin which refused to fade when the right hook connected with her jaw.

The boy sighed.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Light relented after a gorgonopsid pack was too-quickly dispatched. "Hope, boomerang."

Confused, he responded with a simple, "Huh?"

"Your idea – your game. Boomerang. It's your weapon style."

"Oh!" He brightened, thinking. "Um…flight!"

Fang's reply was immediate. "Bahamut."

"Odin," stated the blonde.

"Horse."

"Chocobo."

Light paused for a second. "Yellow."

"Coward," Hope said.

"Viper," Fang called out without thinking.

"What did you say?" The question was quiet, but no less menacing for it. Lightning had stopped, turning to face Fang directly.

Fang repeated the word obligingly, placed her hands on her hips. "I said Viper. Present company excluded, of course."

This time, she ducked under the punch reflexively.


End file.
